Winter Camping

A couple months ago I wondered what I could do to make this birthday special. I thought camping would be a good change of pace. A healthy dose of nature would hit the reset button and prepare me for another year. So on Friday after work I drove to the campsite where I had reserved a camper cabin. The cabin had heat and electricity. Snow had fallen but then it rained. The parking lot at William O'Brien state park was as slippery as a skating rink. I wished I had thought to bring my ice cleats. I was warm inside the cabin but, man oh man, that outhouse in the middle of the night was c.o.l.d. I sat down on the cold seat and a draft of cold air came up toward my nether regions. Jeez Louise it was cold. In the morning I tried to make coffee on the porch. The air was cold and there was a slight wind so it took a very long time to get the coffee percolating but it sure tasted good.

In the morning I had planned to hike around the area next to the Saint Croix.  I did not know they shut the road that goes under the highway. I had to park by the Interpretive Center and walk down that long and winding hill. Since the road had not been plowed it wasn't as slippery but it was still slippery.  As long as I walked in the deeper snow where my foot could get a grip I was fine.  I thought about just lying down on the road and sliding down on my winter coat but there is a big curve and I didn't want to go off the cliff or get the guard wires across my neck. The longer I hiked the more confidence I got and the faster I could go. Here is the lovely brook that forms the north boundary of the park. There is something extra beautiful about seeing open water next to a snowy bank.

Here is that giant climbing tree near the group camp site. I walked down past the amphitheater and past the boat landing and past the swimming beach and past the Riverside campgrounds. I made it back up the long and winding hill.  I had just arrived back to the cabin and was making a pb&j sandwich when Offspring #2, her friend, and her friend's dog arrived.

We left on another hike. I think I must have hiked more than six miles on Saturday. I feel so lucky to be able to do that because for many years I could not hike that far. On Sunday morning we went for another hike. I can definitely feel the medicinal benefits of being out in nature (even though it was freezing cold).

The Grave's a Fine and Private Place

Ironically I finished reading The Grave's a Fine and Private Place by Alan Bradley the same day I went to a funeral. If I had known it was a mystery I would not have selected it. The heroine in the story is 12 year old Flavia.  She lives in England in 1952. The author wrote a series of novels about her crime solving abilities. Flavia is a child prodigy with chemistry.  The dialogue is cute and the book went by quickly. If you like mystery stories you would probably like this book.

Coins in a Fountain

On this bench at the Marjorie McNeeley Conservatory at Como Park, I am at peace. I love this spot by this fountain.  I love the sights, the sounds, the smells, the temperature, the humidity, the people and the atmosphere. How many coins have I thrown into this fountain over my life time? Quite a few coins I think.  I wish I could remember all the wishes I have made here. If I could remember all my wishes I could tally up  how many came true and how many have not come true.

Barn Bluff

Years ago I took Offspring #2 and several nephews to hike up barn bluff in Red Wing, Minnesota. On that trip it was fall and the colors were beautiful. Today Offspring #2 and I took the trip again. After a scenic drive down the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi through Prescott, we arrived at the bluff a little after 1 p.m.  The parking area at the trail head was a thick layer of very slippery ice.  Somehow I managed to change out of my shoes and into my hiking boots without falling to the ground. As we proceeded to hike up to the bluff the path was icy. A few oak leaves and some branches lay in the ice and those helped me keep my grip but I was glad I had my hiking sticks. At first we were hiking next to Highway 61. The traffic noise was unpleasant.  We saw about ten people on the trail and they all looked happy. I liked to feel the cool air expanding my lungs as I hiked up the cement stairs. At the top of the stairs we hiked some more until we came to a cross roads.  We could go up more stairs or head north through the prairie. We chose the prairie route. After about 10 minutes of walking the prairie route got narrower and narrower. We came to realize that this was not a main path. This was a probably a high school student hang out path. At one spot the path made a fork. One fork was up the bluff. When I say up I mean literally up. The other path went under a tree and pretty much ended. So we chose to go up the path. I started up first. A red oak tree helped me about five feet up. After that it got difficult. The flat spots where I could put a shoe were far apart. My artificial hips are not used to taking such large steps.  I was on my hands and knees.  Sometimes rocks rolled out from under my feet. Once I grabbed a large triangular hunk of limestone. The big piece of limestone moved. I tried to put it back but with all my weight on one foot I did not succeed.  Sometimes I pulled at prairie grasses while thinking how deep down the roots of prairie grasses go (very deep). A couple times Offspring #2, who was behind me, put one of the hiking poles into the buff soil so my foot would not slide backwards. As we crawled up this seriously steep bluff we questioned ourselves. Was it a wise choice to take this path? Once we were past the halfway mark it made sense to keep going. Eventually we struggled to the top and could stand on two feet again. We both had muddy knees on our jeans. We found evidence of a bonfire. We meandered through the prairie until we found an official path. The weather at the top of the bluff was warmer than at the bottom. We could see the city of Red Wing far below us. Church bells were ringing. Cars were going up and down the streets. Red Wing looked very quaint from this angle. We could see the bridge from Wisconsin that we had passed over on the way here. The river was free of ice.  I saw an eagle soar above the bluff right at the tree line. We could see the water tower of Red Wing and a water tower to the north too. I tried to guess how far we could see. I thought we could see 25 miles in every direction. The hike to the south side of barn bluff was easy. The sun warmed up the soil to the point that the mud became slippery.  Mud clung to my boots.  Prairie grasses added to the mud and pretty soon my boots had mud/grass pancakes on the bottom of them.  On the south side of the bluff the steam from the power plant rose into the air.  As we headed back down the trail head we did not take the way we came. We went down the stairs instead.  We kicked out boots against the cement to knock some of the mud off. After a two hour hike we were back to the car again, pretty proud of ourselves for accomplishing such as feat as hiking barn bluff on a winter day.

My Hopes

On this long winter night, I hope you are cozy

I hope you have enough to eat

And I hope that you are not lonely or tired.

Happy Solstice

My work Christmas cactus is blooming today, the shortest day of the year. It's all down hill from here.  Each day will gain a moment or two more of light and lose a moment or two of darkness.  Or, as I said today, (twice) it's all down hear from hill.

Cashew Bait

At work the other day we were discussing mice in the house.  I am not the only one to have mice in my house.  I don't like mice in the house.  I hate finding mice droppings in my kitchen and in my laundry room. I loathe taking the mice and the trap out to the trash.  Disposing of the rodents is the worst part of the entire process. This year hasn't been too bad.  I found a most effective bait to put in the traps. Where I work we sell nuts as a fundraiser.  The nuts come from some company in Wilmar, Minnesota and they are deliciously fresh roasted.  I bought six pounds already.  Anyway, when I put a fragment of a delicious cashew in the mouse trap I have success. I caught three mice using cashews.  I told this to my coworkers. Today I was told that one coworker got three mice last night with the cashew bait. Another coworker got four mice with cashews. I am lucky in that I have not found any more mice droppings nor any more mice in the traps.  I hope the mice season is over.  I look forward to the ants in the house season which is sure to come around in only a few months.